Goalie feels fine, stunned to get Covid

LONDON • Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale described finding out he had tested positive for the coronavirus as "scary and worrying", despite displaying no symptoms.

The England Under-21 international was one of two positive cases from the second round of testing carried out by English Premier League clubs as they gear up for a return to action next month.

"It's definitely a shock - I've not been in contact with anybody and I've now got it," he told The Sun.

"I'm showing no symptoms so the fact that a healthy young person could potentially have it is definitely scary and worrying."

The 22-year-old tested negative in the first round of testing and believes he must have contracted Covid-19 while shopping.

"This last week, I've done the usual things like going to the supermarket and going to the petrol station to fill my car," he said.

"I've been just as careful as before on lockdown and it seems to be a shopping trip where I've caught it."

A total of eight cases of coronavirus among players and staff have been detected from 1,744 tests in the Premier League.

Results from a third round of testing will be revealed today, when England's 20 top-flight clubs will vote on proposals for a phased return to full training after new government guidelines cleared the way for "close contact" training.

According to Sky Sports, some Premier League clubs are pushing for a June 26 restart to competitive action.

English football was halted in mid-March by the pandemic and Burnley manager Sean Dyche believes Premier League players will need time to find their feet once the season resumes and the uncertainty surrounding their fitness and mentality could lead to surprising results.

"You often notice that at the beginning of a season or the end of a season you get these odd results, where teams are either finding their feet or playing out the season when other teams are fighting for something," he told Sky Sports.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS